This is a first-of-its-kind post about a first-of-its-kind blog. Without false modesty, let me say upfront: the blogging world has been made richer by its existence. Below are the Ten most viewed posts in 2014, hopefully not counting my own unrestrained views and frantic visits. I swear, in the name of Blogger, that the ‘Don’t track your own pageviews’ has been ‘on’ for some years now. While I thought it was the ethical thing to do, I don’t know if it works.
All of these posts, full of scintillating prose and wit, were written last year. Some posts are more popular than others. I'm told that readers have been falling over themselves to share the posts with others on social media. A few servers crashed and the deafening noise could be heard from Cyberabad in India to Silicon Valley in America. I'm happy to say that the blog has found mention in The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Blogging. It has also been nominated for the Blogsaysay Award for integrity in blogging, service to other bloggers, and keen intellect within the blogging community. The resounding success of the blog has forced major publishers to drop everything and gherao this blogger with never-before-heard book deals and promises of obscene advances and royalties. Steven Spielberg and James Cameron are, apparently, fighting for rights to make a fantasy movie based on the blog. It'll be titled War of the Blogs or Blogavatar depending on who gets the rights. Both have offered me the role of lead blogger. What more could any blogger ask for? I feel deeply humbled.
The view counts against each of the ten most viewed posts in 2014 give a fair indication of what draws visitors, intentionally or accidentally, to this blog. Once here, however, they hang around for long periods of time. They have to pull themselves away to visit other less-inspiring and lesser-known blogs. Latest statistics reveal that someone somewhere is reading something on this blog every single waking moment of his or her life.
Here goes…
01. Archie: To Riverdale and Back Again
Posted: March 11
Category: Overlooked Films, Vintage Comics
View Count: 494
02. Charles and The Witch by Shirley Jackson
Posted: February 7
Category: Short Stories, Forgotten Books
View Count: 424
03. Killing Trail by Charles Allen Gramlich
Posted: April 3
Category: Author Interviews, New Fiction
View Count: 419
04. Michael Crawford, aka Frank Spencer and the Phantom
Posted: January 7
Category: Actor Profiles, Overlooked Films
View Count: 407
05. A Body in the Backyard by Elizabeth Spann Craig
Posted: May 9
Category: Author Interviews, New Fiction
View Count: 394
06. The Father-Thing by Philip K. Dick and Rain, Rain, Go Away by Isaac Asimov
Posted February 14
Category: Short Stories, Forgotten Books
View Count: 379
07. Reading Habits #7: How do you treat your books?
Posted: March 27
Category: Reading Habits
View Count: 372
08. Footpath libraries
Posted: February 22
Category: Book Buys, My Pictures
View Count: 326
09. The Reader
Posted: November 4
Category: Overlooked Films
View Count: 320
10. Two short stories about corpses
Posted: January 2
Category: Short Stories
View Count: 297
All of these posts, full of scintillating prose and wit, were written last year. Some posts are more popular than others. I'm told that readers have been falling over themselves to share the posts with others on social media. A few servers crashed and the deafening noise could be heard from Cyberabad in India to Silicon Valley in America. I'm happy to say that the blog has found mention in The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Blogging. It has also been nominated for the Blogsaysay Award for integrity in blogging, service to other bloggers, and keen intellect within the blogging community. The resounding success of the blog has forced major publishers to drop everything and gherao this blogger with never-before-heard book deals and promises of obscene advances and royalties. Steven Spielberg and James Cameron are, apparently, fighting for rights to make a fantasy movie based on the blog. It'll be titled War of the Blogs or Blogavatar depending on who gets the rights. Both have offered me the role of lead blogger. What more could any blogger ask for? I feel deeply humbled.
The view counts against each of the ten most viewed posts in 2014 give a fair indication of what draws visitors, intentionally or accidentally, to this blog. Once here, however, they hang around for long periods of time. They have to pull themselves away to visit other less-inspiring and lesser-known blogs. Latest statistics reveal that someone somewhere is reading something on this blog every single waking moment of his or her life.
Here goes…
01. Archie: To Riverdale and Back Again
Posted: March 11
Category: Overlooked Films, Vintage Comics
View Count: 494
02. Charles and The Witch by Shirley Jackson
Posted: February 7
Category: Short Stories, Forgotten Books
View Count: 424
03. Killing Trail by Charles Allen Gramlich
Posted: April 3
Category: Author Interviews, New Fiction
View Count: 419
04. Michael Crawford, aka Frank Spencer and the Phantom
Posted: January 7
Category: Actor Profiles, Overlooked Films
View Count: 407
05. A Body in the Backyard by Elizabeth Spann Craig
Posted: May 9
Category: Author Interviews, New Fiction
View Count: 394
06. The Father-Thing by Philip K. Dick and Rain, Rain, Go Away by Isaac Asimov
Posted February 14
Category: Short Stories, Forgotten Books
View Count: 379
07. Reading Habits #7: How do you treat your books?
Posted: March 27
Category: Reading Habits
View Count: 372
08. Footpath libraries
Posted: February 22
Category: Book Buys, My Pictures
View Count: 326
09. The Reader
Posted: November 4
Category: Overlooked Films
View Count: 320
10. Two short stories about corpses
Posted: January 2
Category: Short Stories
View Count: 297
Interesting stats
ReplyDeleteMystica, thank you. I hope they climb as the months and years pass.
DeleteYou've had some good traffic in the last year!
ReplyDeleteElizabeth, thank you. My interviews with you and Charles were the highlights of 2014.
DeleteWow, I don't think I've ever been part of such a list before. That is cool! Thanks so much for doing that interview.
ReplyDeleteCharles, my pleasure. Both you and Elizabeth responded with excellent answers that also gave readers a glimpse into how writers function.
DeleteI don't think - not sure - I've ever had over 100 views on any post, let alone the numbers you pull. Wow.
ReplyDeleteRichard, I owe those numbers to you and all our blog friends who have been regularly visiting this place and leaving comments.
DeleteInteresting stats.
ReplyDeleteWhen you go all Bollywood or Hollywood, give me a shout if you need an assistant or consultant - I could do with a job change!
Col, thank you. I have been asked to hold an audition for fellow-bloggers in the film and I'll keep you in mind when I do!
DeleteI am not surprised that the Archie post was the top one. I love the Archie universe and have been wanting to do a post on that topic myself, just can't decide how to approach it.
ReplyDeleteThis was an interesting list, Prashant. And a very clever post.
Tracy, thank you. Looking at stats for previous years, I'm surprised at some of the posts that rank high. I'd had forgotten Archie comics till I bought the six-part comic-book series about his wedding. I was put off by the new illustrations—not the Archie and the Gang I used to see and read about in school.
DeleteI loved the Footpath Libraries post and can see how it made it into the top ten. Some great stats there Prashant!
ReplyDeleteRebecca, thank you. I enjoy writing about the secondhand book haunts in Bombay. There are only a few left now.
DeleteFascinating! I enjoyed your piece, and also liked looking at your best posts, some of which I remembered and some of which I didn't. Good for you, great numbers there.
ReplyDeleteMoira, thank you. I'm encouraged and humbled by the tremendous support I get from you and all our blog friends.
DeletePrashant - I loved this unabashed self-love for your VERY excellent blog. I laughed and you brightened me day. More power to you and more hits coming your way I'm sure in 2015! I feel that you have taught all of us so much about your part of the world (things I might never have learned on my own, I might add) and I think we are all the richer for it.
ReplyDeleteJohn, you are much too kind and generous. Thank you for your words of appreciation and encouragement. You brightened my day too. This isn't the first time. I have no hesitation in reciprocating in kind. It is an absolute treat to read your reviews of truly obscure, vintage, and forgotten books that I'd never heard of in my pre-blogging days.
DeleteYour blog is always on my must-visit list, and since you are so good about responding to comments, it's also on my must-revisit list.
ReplyDeleteI will do this for my blog probably on its anniversary date in May. To be honest, I do not comprehend the traffic patterns on my blog. There's a review of an obscure and very long novel that continues to get waves of hits at certain times of the year. I'm guessing it's required reading for some university course and pops up when the title gets googled.
Ron, thank you very much. That means a lot to me. Your own blog, Buddies in the Saddle, has been hugely responsible for cultivating my interest in and enhancing my knowledge of frontier fiction, through your excellent reviews of both books and films.
DeleteFor some reason, my review of a short story by Jan Neruda, a Czech journalist, writer and poet of the 19th century, gets a lot of traffic. I have also realised that lists of any kind also attracts a good amount of traffic.